Kelly Farrell

DESIGNROOM

“I did exactly what they told me to do. And it was like, Bam! Done! I sold a huge job!”

We are a graphic design firm. Back in 2009 we were recovering from the crash and I felt like the sales process needed to become more sophisticated. We weren’t selling just design anymore. We were selling strategy. Unfortunately, though, it seems I always ended up giving away my whole thinking before we actually had the sale. So after a couple of burns like that, I decided to call Sales Concepts. I remember our first big prospect after training. I met with the global marcom of a really big company. Sales Concepts coached me for it. I didn’t do my normal “give them a bunch of options” routine. Instead, I did exactly what they told me to do. I did a little choke testing. I drilled down into different areas to understand their budget. And it was like, Bam! Done! I sold a huge job! Perhaps, the biggest thing I’ve learned is that, if there’s something that sticks in your gut after a meeting, then get coached around it. Don’t blow it off. Don’t think of this as sales, think of it as building a relationship. I can tell you that it’s definitely hard to have to walk away from a “good fit” client simply because there was something you didn’t listen to, something you could’ve been coached around. Approaching people “Sandler-style” is powerful. It puts you in a more meaningful place. It makes you intentional about communication. Training with Sales Concepts has given me a way to pause and be more meaningful, and to really think about what I’m going to say.